Improvement in skates



Improvement in 1 1 5 943 A PATENTED JUL 11 1871 `lfnasnszes. I,/nymvfor.

UNITED STATES CHARLEST. DAY, OF NEI/VARK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN SKATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,935, dated July 11,1871.

To all' whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. DAY, of N ewark, in the coimty of Essexand State of New Jersey, have invented a new and valuable Improvement inSkates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description of the construction and operation of the same,reference being had to theI annexed drawing making a part of thisspecification, and to the letters and ligures of reference markedthereon.

Figure l of the drawing is a representation of a side elevation of myinvention. inverted plan view, a portion of the runner being representedas broken away in order to show the working parts.

My invention has relation to certain improve ments in skate-clampin gdevices; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement ofdevices whereby the adjusting-screw is enabled to be brought into aconvenient position for adjustment by-the wearer, and, also, by whichthe skate is adapted to varying sizes of feet, being readilyaccommodated to a wide sole and narrow heel or to a narrow sole andlarge heel.

The pair of heel-clamps is formed in one piece with a sliding bar, tothe forward end of which is pivoted a lever or handle, by which it iscarried backward and forward. Between the handie of this lever and thepivoted end thereof is swiveled a nut, which receives a screw to connectit with a toggle-joint pivoted to the end of the sole-clamping bars,which are pivoted together. Y

In the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, A representsthe runner of the skate supporting the sole and heel-plates,respectively, on standards B. C C represent the sole-clamps united by apivot at their rear ends, whence they extend in curved form forward andoutward, and are provided at their ends with jaws c to grasp the sole.In the bend of each clamp C is formed a curved slot, d, through which astud or pin, d', on the under side of the toe-plate passes. This pin dis provided with a ilanched head, and serves to support the ends of theclamps and to guide them outward and inward when the lever is operated.The pin which imites the clamps C C also connects therewith atoggle-joint, l),

Eig. 2 is an which is provided with a female screw at its end to engagewith the tightening-screw E, which is attached to the swivel Dv, pivotedto the lever E. The end of the lever E is pivoted to the stem of theheel-clamping device. G represents the heel-clamp, consisting ofthebranching arms g" provided with jaws g to clasp the heel, and

of the main stem Gr', by which the a-rms gf are connected together andwith the lever E. These arms g" are slotted at g g to receive theguiding and supporting-studs g of the heel-pla-te.

When the lever E is moved outward laterally from the runner of the skatethe adjusting-screw and toggle are thrown around in an oblique position,and the head of the screw is thereby presented in a convenient positionfor the application of the key or screw-driver. At the same time theclamping-bars of the sole are pressed forward and outward, and theheel-clamp is moved backward, for the convenient reception of the partsofthe shoe upon which the clamps are to act. Vhen the foot is in placeand the screw properly tightened the lever is brought around and inwardagainst the ruimer, forcing the jaws or teeth of the clamps into theleather of the sole and heel, thus firmly and securely fastening theskate.

As the pivot z, by which the lever is attached to the stem of theheel-clamp, is eccentric in its position, and so arranged that, when thelever is closed in against the runner, it will lie without the line oftraction connecting the pivots of the toggle D and swivel D, it followsthat the lever will be automatically held in against the runner by thepressure of the clamps. Therefore, there `is no danger of the leverbeing thrown outward and tripping the wearer.

Having fully described my invention, I claimrlhe eccentrically-pivotedlever E, combined and arranged with the heel and toe-clamps of a skate,substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses. y

CHARLES T. DAY.

Vitnesses:

ELIAS F. TAYLOR, RALPH H. PRIME.

